Why? >> Good evening everyone. Welcome. uh we were previously in close session and now we are back in um in public meeting. So I'd like to welcome you this evening and as we do it each meeting we will begin by standing for the pledge of
allegiance and remaining city and we'll we'll stand for a moment of silence in honor and memory to the flag of the United States of America stands nationy
for all. >> Thank you. Please be seated. >> Yes, sir. business is swearing in the police officer Freddy Zakona who joins us join police department. We're very excited to have you here. Um and I'm going to ask you to step up front. We
have Freddy's mother and father and older sister and younger sister and nephew and friends and girlfriend joining us this evening. So welcome everybody. So good that you come and be a part of this evening. So, uh, I'll step down and we'll swear in, um, ready
and then we'll all come down and take a picture or several pictures. >> Okay, I got camera ready. >> Let's all stop. All right, you could uh raise your right hand and repeat after me or come along. I Freddy Taka
>> I Freddy Tako >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution >> that I will support the Constitution >> of the United States >> of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> in the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> that I will bear true faith and allegiance >> that I will bear true faith and
allegiance >> to the same >> to the same >> and to the governments established >> and to the government established >> in the United States >> in the United States >> and in this state >> and in this state >> under the authority of the people >> under the authority of the people and I will faithfully and that I will faithfully impartially impartially and
justly perform and justly perform all duties of patrolman all duties of patrolman according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability to help me die. So help me God and welcome And we can take if you want to give me your phone. We can take some pictures.
Everybody in the picture. We'll start. I'll tell you. Why don't we start with the council? >> Okay. >> All right. Okay, everybody smile. >> Wait a minute. >> You're done. >> Are you camera ready?
>> Camera. >> All right. All right. >> Okay. And the family, come on up. Let's get picture with all of you guys. >> Just move in. We're all very comfortable here. >> All right. You might have to back up a
little. Steve, >> what? Maybe in the back. Yep. And you know, you guys stay right where you are. >> All right. >> New Jersey is the motion picture.
>> Okay. Steve, are you camera ready? >> I am. >> Evan, can you just Okay, we all ready. >> Okay, >> thank you so much. >> You're here. >> Nice to meet you. Congratulations.
It's the afterlow from the Oscar. >> Yeah, you should say this is the best part. No, that was very wonderful. It's always wonderful to welcome people into Lambert Hill. >> Right. Uh moving on, we have uh this
evening a presentation from the um James Master Jim Master will uh offer us a presentation about potential um water main crossing that has been kind of the planning stages for a while and the
council has all guys. Yeah, I just make it. So, I'm really just gonna ask Jim to step up and and uh Lindsay is going to run a a slideshow for us and Jim's going to explain a little bit about the project, the background, the the reason
why to do it and kind of where they are in the plan stages and all of that. So, if they don't mind, I would ask that you speak to the microphone there behind you. >> Oh, sure. You're comfortable? Am I good?
>> Very good. Good evening. How are you today? >> Oh, there we go. >> My name is Shim Master Car as the mayor said. Um, I've been with the for for quite a long time. I've actually been responsible in some degree uh for the
water system uh in Lambertville for upwards of 20 years. I have a really good knowledge of the of the operation and and uh I was elected to come here today to present this project to the council and to the public and to answer
any questions and just uh to to front this conversation would be um regarding what the scope of the project is. We're talking about uh the Swan Creek crossing. Generally, water manes are
buried underground. Uh we we're in town, we're doing replacements, but when we're gone, you really don't know that we're there. We try to actually leave it better than we did before. Everything is below ground. In this case, uh that's not that's not
the case. And we have some limitations where there's going to be some visible uh evidence of us making some changes. So, if we could go to the first slide. So, uh this is the Swan Creek uh right
next door to the parking lot here. Uh the Swan Creek had actually Swan Street um has two two water manes that go up Swan Creek. Okay. One's a raw water man. Uh one is a is a drinking water finished
drinking water man. And then it's essentially a network right in the we generally have water manes on every street in almost in town especially down downtown and where there's crossings or bodies of water we have to cross them in
some fashion. In the past uh we had crossings here uh during uh the storm I think it was Ida we actually lost that water man. We actually lost that water man uh because
of the flooding and during the storm itself it was a w essentially a wide open pipe for which we could have lost the whole system. Um we did have a lot of challenges like
everybody else a traumatic uh event in town. Um but what it identified was a lot of risk associated with having that crossing the way it was constructed in the past. The way it was constructed in
the past it was essentially buried like in the roadway but underneath the creek. It was done a number of years ago uh where when you could actually do that type of work uh where you just bury a
pipe in a in a stream bed. Um there's a lot of rules regulations around wet wetlands in which you can't do that anymore. So what we did is we had to make an evaluation to see what other ways we
could cross this this uh this bridge here. Now the purpose of a waterway right is to create a network and create as much reliability as possible. So in the eventuality of a break somewhere you
can have a network you can isolate where the water mean is broken and not affect a large area uh to impact a large area or a larger outage. Secondarily unlike well maybe like electric
is the quality of water degrades if it's not being used right. So anywhere that you have a dead end what we call a dead end um a lot of times that that sometimes leads to challenges with water quality. So when we have continuous
water flowing in a network it improves the water quality and it it lessens the water age improve it's a it's a better better system. We've been going back and forth since I it's been a couple years with different
agencies and different approaches and trying to understand the best way that we can propose work. So there's really three different ways that we could do this. We could either uh what they call directional drill,
which would be to come back uh back somewhere in the parking lot on this side and directional drill up through and into the intersection somewhere else. um which posed a lot of uh issues
regarding conflicts and a lot of impact based on the time the amount of work that needs to be done in construction there there would there would be a lot of impact to the public. The second option actually the first option that we went down was we approached the county.
This is a county bridge. So we approached the county and we uh we asked them about attaching to the bridge. I'm sure we've all gone over a bridge or seen a bridge. There's other bridges in town where you actually see the pipe kind of sitting right on the side or attached to the side of the bridge. The
county would not allow anything to be attached to the bridge. I don't know the schedule in which they are looking to replace it. Um but they they didn't give us that but they said you could not attach to the page at all.
So the third option was to cross the cross the uh cross the creek overhead and in with like a on a bridge. So, that's what I'm here to propose today and show you uh introduce you to the project, go through
a little bit of the of the rigor that we've gone through to uh to qualify this um as a as a good project and then uh speak to you a little bit about the the character of the bridge and some of the
other elements that we going to uh essentially impact. uh you know the the look and feel of the existing bridge. Again, this conversation generally doesn't happen when we just bury a pipe in the ground and move on. But this is
something that is visual. It's going to change the you know the look of that bridge right there. So we want the run through. So uh do we have any questions so far? Council mayor.
>> Yes. I have the first option you said that it would impact impact the public. How would it impact the public? >> Uh so direct uh with a directional drill we have to have large staging areas on both sides of receiving pit and where we
set it where we set it. So we would be there for multiple weeks with big big holes in the ground and no one being able to be anywhere. We couldn't do it in the road because we wouldn't shut the
road down for that that that period of time. So, we would be out in this parking lot and and we don't even know where exactly we could even receive it on the other end. So, there was a lot of constraints regarding the other side.
>> Well, there is a big parking lot, not heavily, but um there's a pipe that runs right through the middle of that that that opening in What is that? If you were to take a picture looking up the opening, there's a huge pipe >> in the culvert itself.
>> No, up about halfway through up the uh up that culvert. >> I believe it's a a sanitary sewer line. >> Is that on the other side? >> Is it running right through the middle? >> Oh, underneath it. Underneath. >> I think it's a sanitary sewer.
>> It could be. It could be. Um the water line that was installed there originally was essentially, you know, someone dug a trench, put the pipe in, and buried it. there's there's a lot of agencies that won't allow that to happen anymore. This is actually the second time that this pipe has been lost. And so, one of the
other considerations uh that we made was we want to harden this, right? We don't want this to ever break again. this this provides value to the to the system. It provides value to the community and we you know we don't
we don't we spend uh money prudently as it relates to what we do improvements on. What we don't want to do is install something that's going to go away. The flooding is what happens down the forces that come down that street are
>> Can you raise your mic? >> Yep. Sure. >> It's the way they're made, not the way you speak. I think um yes sir. So I mean I'm I would be very much against doing HD
when it's a it's a you know neighborhood when you have a you know stream here that affects the canal the river because I've been involved with >> HDD HDP HD HDD horizontal directional
>> drd >> I've been involved where one you have jet engine going on and on and the noise from it and smoke but also So there's a good chance that if they hit something underneath to get crack out and get, you know, uhite
in the waterways and everything else. I know somebody's house would have got destroyed down in Burlington County for a gas pipeline. >> Yeah. So it depend Yeah, it depends on the application. We we felt that the constraints here that that wasn't an appropriate application.
So we go to the next slide. I only have 15 or 20 slot. >> You have eight minutes left. >> Okay. >> All right. So, um and I apologize. This doesn't you the the the details here are
not um are not coming out as clear as I was hoping they would. But essentially what you're looking at here, there's a rendering of the bridge um on the right that just went away. >> Sorry, >> that's not on. Yeah. Just Yeah. Just
look it like this. >> Excuse me. >> Yes. >> That's not our That's not our br That's not our canal. Correct. >> That's not your canal. >> That's a different >> That's a different All that is is just a rendering of the the the bridge and the
style of a potential bridge that we would install. >> Is is there a reason why you didn't do the rendering using your other using our specific locations that we could see? We we can get down that road. We're in the preliminary phases right now. Uh as we
go and create more renderings and go further down into design. >> Correct me if I'm wrong. >> Do you expect us to vote tonight or >> it's just informationational? >> This is justformational. Thank you. >> Let me just clarify one thing. You know, this is a multi-jurisdictional project,
right? >> And I have all of those. >> Okay. So, no. He's got to they've got to go to DP Commission, Historic Preservation. So, >> yep. >> Okay. >> So, but this is more this is more just to inform the public and and the council. >> Thank you.
>> So, what we're looking if you see right here, this is the existing bridge right here on the bottom and we're looking about six feet. Initially, we were at 12. We tried we brought it in. uh we looked at about to to lessen the impact
uh and to have about 12 uh six feet off to have a crossing that the bridge this is a rendering of the bridge from the company in which we were looking at having the bridge constructed. So it would be similar to that. There would be some provisions and
differences on the edges to ensure that there was nobody crossing the using the bridge for a crossing and it was only for a site. But what we would also have to do um is we would have to do some slight realignment. So, just to give you
context there, this is the this is the the small foot wall on the left side of the entrance when you come into the the building here. So, that's right here. Um, and the flag pole is right here. So,
what we were be I think we're looking at redefining the curb line in the back, pushing over that foot wall to to essentially attach it to the bridge
and and that would afford us the ability to to cross. Now what that would also do and this is this is a point of discussion um is we would have to bring out this turbine on the west side uh a
few feet. So it would impact the one parking area the one parking spot right here. So we would have to relocate the parking meter um the new curve line and the utility bridge. Before I ask for I'm going to ask for any comments, but I'd
like to just go to the next slide. So, I'm probably down to five minutes now. Um, so what I what we did here, this is the same drawing. Here's the realignment again. What we also want to do is we want to try to here's a picture of that
of that wall. So, really what we're saying is needed to have access here and impact right here. what we are proposing to do to to and recognize that that area down the side
of Swan Creek also serves for enjoyment of the community itself, right? I guess there's a it's actually like a pathway that's there. It's kind of it's a homemade pathway if you will. >> You recognize
a homemade part of this canal, right? But but I guess it's just a walkway where it's just dirt a dirt walkway. >> Well, it's it's high grade. >> What's that? I'm sorry. >> It's high grade. It's a bicycle path.
>> Okay. Well, all right. So, I got the pictures. The pictures I have showed it as a >> It's a It's a pathway in which we walk in. We walk. >> It's from the parking lot to path. >> Yep. >> It's how you get to the toe path along that edge of the parking lot that he's
talking about. Not the toe path. not the toe pad itself. >> So, so >> go ahead. >> Okay. So, it's really just down the side of the the creek bed right here. Um, so we also saw that there is it, you know,
there is a almost like a bench area as well where and you recognize that folks may sit in the spring of this time of year but maybe in the spring or the summer by by the creek there. So, what we would propose to do is because there
is this this impact, we would put a nice walkway from the sidewalk over to that area that provides access to the to the bicycle path. And in addition to that, what we would also like to do is replace
that um that whole bench there all the way back. It's it's it's in dire shape. It's not that great of a shape. So, we would like to completely redo that whole bench area there and put all new uh decking on that. And then and
then really instead of just having a small wall here, what we propose to do is just really bring that wall, rebuild that wall, and bring it over and have it above the bridge itself. Now you don't have people trying to cut through and
they'll walk on a real pathway to get over to the uh to the area in which they walk down the the creek and and access the bike path. So So what does that mean? We can go to the next slide. I
think I only got two more minutes. What that means is all right. So, uh, many of you in the room may know we operate within the public right ofway inside the road or right outside the roadway within plus or minus 10 ft. That's recognized as the public right of
way and that's where where our authority is. Anytime that we have to go outside of that area, we have to uh get an easement. An easement is is uh on private property, whether it's publicly owned or owned by a private individual.
And it's an agreement that gives us the right to do business and to operate within that area. There are limitations but also protections. It's very customary for us to to go through to get easements to to install
our infrastructure. Um but because of the alignment in where we would have to cross and what we did tried to do is bring this as close to the bridge as possible, we would have to get uh we would have to work with the town to
define an easement on this side which is in that parking lot where we could um where we could install the pipe. Right now the pipe runs right down the street and then kind of jet jets off to the side. we would actually come up into the
parking lot and then you know clearly take the parking lot uh indicators if we went there. Um so that's the that's the proposal. If you go to the next slide I probably two
minutes left now. This is a list and I thought this was important to to list out as the mayor did uh the different agencies in which we have to engage with to have this work done. So, it's not like we can decide tonight and vote on it, move on, and we're building it
tomorrow. It's not even close to that. So, each one of these um I just want to run through real quick. We have the uh the flood hazard uh area uh permit. We have a freshwater wetlands permit. Uh the wetlands permit is um both for
overhead and below grounds in the wetlands. Uh the state historical preservation office. So that permit is to ensure that uh that we're in alignment with the community as it relates to the character of the bridge
itself and it doesn't detract or take away from the you know and be unsightly or not match the character of the community. Um the DNR uh the Delaware Rarity Canal Commission we're still under their purview as well. The canal
is right there. We have to ensure that there's no conflict there. And then lastly, um actually, so those are all permits that the town uh the city has to work,
look at, agree on, sign off before we send in. So we all collaboratively work to to submit all of those. And then there's also a FEMA no rise certification. I just want to highlight that because this is a sensitive area.
why we're here is because of flooding and because of the and we really want to strengthen it. They have to ensure that any crossing isn't going to negatively impact any sort of high flows, right? So, if it was too low in that cover, it could hold
back water and not allow water to get out. Or if it was too high, it could create turbulence when it when when that bridge is over top and create some other issues. So our alignment it has to be such that dealing with any high flows
that it wouldn't have any negative uh uh impact as well. Um and then and then like I mentioned before just between uh the the city and and the company would be establishing the terms
of uh of an easement agreement and that again the terms are not something that we'll negotiate tonight but there are terms of an agreement right there's always consideration so uh with I think uh I think this is the last slide and I guess I can open.
Oh, here's another version of the picture. The fort's a little bit bigger. Again, this is not I appreciate that. Now, this is not Swan Creek, and I I wish it would look this good, but I I don't know if I can get that wall like that. But the the character and the and
the crossmembers on the bridge would be similar to that wall. And again, you know, because of the span, they have to deal with the structure. So, so that they they have to they have to put it together a certain way. But as we get closer to your question, as we get
closer, we would have more formal renderings and detailed drawings that would be reviewed with the town uh before before any installation. The last thing that we would want is to install something and then, you know, either be
an eyesore or, you know, the city not be comfortable with it. So that's what I had. Yes, sir. >> I'm a part. >> That was amazing. >> I was throwing my voice under chair. The
>> the structure that crosses the canal. >> Yep. >> Why >> why >> why is it so high? >> Well, it's just supporting the pipe >> again. Well, this this is a rendering. That's a bigger pipe. But it will be it
will be um I don't have the drawings. I don't have the final drawings. These were we set some concept. It will not be that high. It will be approximately 18 in higher
than the current the the current um bridge. When I say higher, the top of this structure will be slightly higher than the bridge. That bridge is very low. It's about probably not even 30 in. Any new bridge is always going to be
have is going to be higher than that. >> You mean the the railing on >> the railing on the side is very low. >> How far do you how far do you propose that to be from the bridge? >> Uh six feet. Is it what's to preclude some kid from jumping off that to get on
there at that distance? >> Good manners. >> Well, we put so so we could so with with our concept, right? Uh we did we did look at provisions at the ends to ensure
ensure no one could get on, right? Railings, tight railings and such. Um, what we chose six feet off of the bridge because as we go further off the bridge, we go further in on the property,
>> right? So then that that means greater and greater impact for the we're trying to limit the impact of the footprint. the there's there's currently a I think it's a water pipe that runs further west
that is on top of the bridge sidewalk. I think that's a line >> that's the >> on South Franklin. >> Yeah, you're talking about South >> Franklin between the South Franklin. >> Yeah. So any again so we go we went through we you know we look to try to just attach to the bridge on the side
not it's not allowable a lot of the means and methods of crossings today are different than the way we did things in the past >> but you had mentioned that the reason that they're not allowing it is because they plan on redoing that >> I know I I said they wouldn't allow it
whether I don't know what they're going to redo it but they didn't want us attached to it and then we have to be we have to ensure that it's hard. We have to make sure that we don't lose that again. >> Yes. >> So after it's all completed, how well
will it work in mitigating floods? >> There's no mitigation at all. that I um the uh the the what we need to design for is to ensure that it doesn't negatively impact
any water flow down the region >> in the case of flood or anytime >> any well anytime well the the flow of water comes through the covert and then it rises up we can't do anything we have to sit in the middle so we're not low
enough where We're blocking the cover on the bottom and we can't be too high either. We have to sit right in parallel with the elevation of the bridge itself. Um, when you say there's going to be
shut offs, is there a way that I when it's really bad here, when it has been bad for Ida and other and a previous flashing, there were boats that were coming down there riding the >> Well, so that's Yeah. So, we would Yeah.
>> And the water was above the colar. Oh, yeah. Because >> Oh, I know. >> Yeah. But took your pipe out. Yeah. Yeah. But um >> we we would design it in a way that would be hardened and that would not and that's why again that's why you have the
bridge on either side. So if there's debris coming at force it's not going to hit the pipe. It's going to hit the bridge. >> Which bridge? >> Either the bridge we were building or you know it may hit the other bridge first. I
think >> it gets by one. >> Water doesn't blow up. That's >> No, no, we're downgrading it. We're we're down. We're down. We're >> No, no, I know. I know. But your your your comment about, you know, it'll stop debris from hitting the bridge. >> No, no, it'll stop debris from hitting
the pipe. >> The pipe. >> The pipe. >> The pipe. >> I'm sorry. Biden spoke there. >> Yes. >> I have a question. as part of your slide of the various partner organizations that you have to go to approval under D.
Would that also include the New Jersey Historic Sites Council? >> Preservation, >> not the sites council. is usually um with anything that's owned that would affect or impact a publicly owned
um infrastructure such as that existing bridge. >> I don't know if you're building something that's going to be six feet away. I mean it falls under the office of the D um state historic preservation office.
>> Yeah, I I can see >> that be like another layer. Um, we haven't been notified of that. So, we've gone through our our punch list and our pre-construction, you know, we have a a pre-construction meeting with D, if you will, to make sure we understand what
all the different agencies and permits would be required. And this is what has been given to us. So Michelle, I connected Violia to uh ship up to Jesse West Rosenthal and was
just announced some initial emails and uh you know made sure that he understood that this was a project that whatever approvals they needed from preservation or you know agencies that he was going to take that and work with them. So I
feel very confident >> because I'm under the impression uh or the assumption when we did this building over but it was the city did not but the city did it over is that the facade of this
building is is is preserved by through historic preservation the facade >> and any work that we did on the outside had to be approved by >> No we're yeah we're we're We're 100 the same. >> Yeah, we're 100% of the same strip.
>> Absolutely. >> That strip of land that the buffer along the screen that's town property, I'm assuming. >> Y does it have any incumbrance on it from green acres with the improvement for the path or anything like that? >> I don't know the answer to that question.
>> I don't think there's really an improvement on the path. >> I mean, you have to benches, you have the different stuff that >> Yeah. Well, I I don't even know if those Cindy's going to she can answer the question. No, >> no, we have not obtained Green Acres funding for anything along there. Um,
that's really >> property. However, now having said that, >> the roster does list the small pocket part, >> right? So um and that's something that Green Acres could you know they could come back to us and said
Green Acres or even D that this is protective over that area >> which we'll find out process >> I mean they could that's always a possibility >> but it's nothing that we obtain using
response but once you list it on your >> Y >> it becomes So Jim, thanks for coming and making this presentation. Uh certainly we're happy to make this slideshow available to the public for anybody who wants it and there'll be more conversations about
this. Obviously this is just a first this is just a an initialformational session. There'll be plenty of uh moments where the public will be able to kind of weigh in uh on this project um once they fur down the regulatory permitting process line. Uh so um just
keep an eye on the agenda and uh we'll >> Yeah. If I could just request um before we post this online, we have no problem with that. If I could just get another version where it's clearly not as draft >> because this is a draft. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Thanks. >> Thank you. I also think David you can
get somebody to some of the copy come very well on that. >> Yeah. More questions. I want to say like the rendering. >> Okay. >> Yeah. just to darken it more. Dark darken up the uh
hard. >> Yeah, I understand. We have for now. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> But that's what we have. >> Thank you very much for your time. >> Appreciate it. Thank you so much.
>> Next will be the approval of minutes. Um so I'm going to ask for a motion to approve the following set of minutes as amended. There were some minor corrections uh proposed by Councilman Segman and Council President. Remember those uh amendments, corrections were made this afternoon. So we would be uh
approving these minutes with those minor questions as noted. >> It was minor very I talked to Lindsay I think at some point. >> I didn't. >> Okay. All right. As long as they were done. Thank you very much.
>> Okay. Um so we have a motion. I'll second it. Um, all in favor of the following minutes I submitted. Let me just make a note. December 18th, 2025 close session minutes, December 18th, 2025 meeting minutes of January 5th, 2026 organization.
So, all in favor, please say I. I. >> I. Thank you. Motion carries. Uh, I want to talk a little bit about administrative reports uh this evening. So, um, uh, just a couple of notes here and there. Um, in uh December, the
construction office took in just about $25,000 in permitting fees. They had a pretty busy month in December. Um, our hotel fee, our hotel tax uh came back in the state 21,000 our year to date for hotel tax was $196,45.
That's a nice healthy number for hotel tax. um uh our parking uh leader uh parking revenue came in at almost $600,000 last year. Um last month we set another record and we were about $33,000
year over year from the previous year. So we continue to do really well revenue month over month and year over year. Um, I'll take it out that in uh calendar year 2025, we hauled, 1452 tons
of trash out of the municipality and 670 tons of recycling canvas for the month of um December into January. Um, uh, Union Shield dropped a check off to us yesterday for $22,730,
um, which is their highest, uh, monthly, um, 2% to the city on record. Last year in canvas revenue, we took in $270,000, uh, just 270,000 and we budgeted 185. So, we took in a lot more revenue than
we budgeted for. Um, and uh, that's that's some great news. So, um, I just want to highlight some of those items. Um, and unless the council has any questions, I would ask for a motion to approve the administrative reports. >> Second.
>> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Thank you. Motion carries. Um, going to move on to public participation. I just want before we do that, I just want to um talk about a couple things that may come up in public participation. Um so as you probably
know uh from looking at the agendas the close session me the close session agenda did note that we talked about the redevelopment agreement this evening. Uh we did uh as everybody should know by now we did send the redevelopment agreement to Kenanian. Uh they did
respond with their proposed edits on the bill of one I met with Kenian on the phone this week and and had a conversation with them. uh and they are sending an amended uh some amended language. So we talked about that in close session. Um I expect that the
amended language coming back from KO will come sometime I think next week. Um we will keep this on our close session agendas for the foreseeable future. Um so that's just an update on that. Um, uh, Councilwoman Kaminsky and I met
with the D on January 14th to talk, uh, a little bit more about kind of some of the still fun questions and some of the issues the residents are having on Hill. Um, the D note, uh, that they, uh, they have turned the matter over to their attorneys in terms of getting access to
the the high school property. Uh, and it's now currently tied up in legal. So, um, that's that's the long and short of that. There were some questions that we worked out um with the D about some of the issues around some of the testing
and the sulfur smells. Uh the D is going to provide us with a comprehensive memo about that meeting and as soon as we have that public want anything else that council >> we're continuing to work with them. I
don't think they're completely um complete on the source of of of the smell and how to fix it. But we're also working with them on the individual homeowner issues that you know and trying to work them out which
has you know we've kind of made some some headway in that but you know we continue to do you know work on a case by case basis and also uh partnering with West Amwell and I'm sorry I missed the call today I got this call on um
grant and and and how we're going to spend the money if we need it on testing or we need to filter. So, but we'll get with West. We'll have to talk to them a little bit about, you know, having a meeting very soon. >> Yeah. And I just wanted to about that
meeting. So, this uh afternoon, Cindy and I, uh Sue Born met um with Jesse Gleason, program management officer for the Department of Health, the state department of health, uh in regards to the six $6,000 funding grant we got to
test um Wells. And I want to meet with C. This was just today and so I want to meet with Councilwoman Kaminsky. There is some flexibility in how we can use that. We haven't had a chance to talk about it because the meeting was just a few hours ago. Um but we the city does
have some some flexibility there in terms of you know what kinds of tests we might pay for whether it would pay for you know tests for hardness iron and magnes and and other things. >> Yeah. And that's why we need to get with uh with Westwalk because we're going to kind of do it jointly for the same for
the same test. They have the same issues, but also they because they have an agreement with RA and headboard waters and guard state labs to do collection and testing if there's anyone else down the line who needs to test first and and you know has some
difficulty economic difficulties in doing it and need to do it before D can get to them. DP will be coming back to do more resident testing in terms of uh for for PEOS and residential wells in in
March. I'm not quite sure we add some people to the roster if we can. Um but some of that is them just you know going out a little bit further once they get the test results back from what they found. So again, they're not they went
they're turned the the source investigation testing over to their attorneys. Um and they're continuing to test wells out, you know, on an expanding basis. >> Thank you. All right. Well, we're now open for public comment. Uh people are
asked to step to the podium unless they have mobility issues. We have three minutes in terms of time. We ask you to state your name and your address and council may or may not respond. Good evening. Paul Stevens, 39 Corey Street. Well, here we are. Resolution 42206
naming Taho Lane as the redeveloper for the Lamborgh High School redevelopment area. Um, I'd like to be able to say I understand exactly what that means, but I don't. And I know I've missed the last
two meetings of the council and um so I went out to the YouTube to review the meetings uh see what I missed because hopefully I would have found out there. Unfortunately, I could only find the January 5th meeting online, but not the
1218 meeting. The uh the 124 and the 121 meetings were both up there, but not the 1218. Uh, I did review the January 5th video. Interestingly, um, I I Miss O'Brien and Mr. Till's
comments were spot on in terms of how I feel about this. Um, and then I was uh went to the the last session of the public comments where M. O'Brien got back up again and u
restated some of the stuff she had before and waited for a response. uh where it was specifically stated that a draft agreement had been submitted to the K Oania and we were awaiting their comments. You've since confirmed that
just now. Um, so I but back earlier today when I was reviewing this stuff, I thought, well, I'll go out to the LHS project website where everything's supposed to be, thinking that that would be valuable and because I recalled that we were assured as soon as it was
submitted to Khovania, our proposal would be released to the public by posting it on the website. That turned out to be a useless exercise because it's not there. All right. the draft timeline has not even been kept up
to date as was promised to us that was out there. So the websites pretty much useless. Okay, in terms of trying to keep up with what's going on. Um we were assured that this would be an open transparent process that uh the public
was assured of that here at council meetings. That's not occurring. Okay? because we were assured that as soon as we had something that was submitted to Kobanian I sat here and listened to it uh you know Mr. Opel was here u and uh
we I understood that couldn't do it before submitting it to them but once it was submitted it's a it's a document now okay there's no point in keeping it public except I mean keeping it from the bubbly except it keeps us from reading trying to understand it and ask
questions that are intelligent when we come up here that's my comment for tonight thank Yeah, I'm happy to respond. We did not say there was no moment when we said it was going to be released as soon as it was sent. We cannot find that anywhere
in August. So, please do go look. We did say that we would release it. Uh we did not give a date. Uh and um you know, we talked about the timeline uh generally and you know, there's there's no hard and fast timeline there. We're working through things. uh we're working through
things and so you know that's all I have to say about that this is still a document that is you know there would part of part of the consideration here and Mr. can can pipe up say anything
that he might want is you know why would we release a document that we send to Kinian uh and then get something back and then have a conversation with them and then have them send something that's maybe completely different. So in the first draft, I mean what what we would be allowing would be the public to look
at something that is going to be changing very soon, right? So that that doesn't serve anybody any purpose. Uh and it also has the ability, I think, or the possibility to potentially corrupt our conversations as the council. So uh Bill, I don't know if you want to weigh
in on any of that, but we did not spec we did not specify a time when the redevelopment agreement would become public. You did say it would become public, but we did not specify a time. >> Yeah. Um it took longer for the city to get it out than what was in that initial
timeline just because we wanted to discuss and make sure that the number of different topics were addressed. As far as when it would be released, I think it would be released when the city is comfortable with what we think is the
final version. And the purpose behind that is just to first avoid confusion doc you know first draft documents going to change in the negotiation process. So
what what the public will see is what is ultimately going to be the version that's voted on by the council and and that will be closed as soon as it's ready. I I imagine that there's going to be a few more terms on this agreement as
far as additional comments both by Kmanian and the city at this point. So this this isn't just the city submits document changes and it's not I can be clear on
that. So, this is going to take um you know exchanges of drafts in order to get to a place if we can get to a place where things are. >> Thank you. >> Uh my name is Dave Bird 255 Brunswick
Avenue in Lambertville and happy 2026. Um mayor and council have been dizzy. Tonight they're doing uh a total I think of 12 resolutions uh and two uh ordinances. I know I have three minutes to talk so I'm going to be
very brief. You don't have to write it down. I'll give the mayor and u city clerk a copy of this. Uh but these are my questions and suggestions and just it's a lot of information and you're spending you know there's a lot of money
a lot of impact. Uh number one, resolution 39 2026. Uh why are we be do we want to become a certified local cover? Number two, resolution 35 2026 audiovisisual improvements. Kowski was a
a very low bidder uh compared to others. The questions are are others providing the same improvements? Have the references been checked and confirmed? what is being installed under this proposal. Number three about uh
resolution 39206 uh health benefits terminated a new source. Uh what is the and my question is what was the reaction of the employees and retirees and what is the budgetary impact of the change? Number
four, resolution 41 2026 designating uh meeting as a redeveloper. Is this just a an extension of their earlier resolutions? U you know for the record.
Uh number five is ordinance uh uh 012026 the spoke works site uh questions uh detail what is being proposed at the site and second question uh what are the differences between ordinance one and
two it seems to be pretty close and I don't quite understand what we're doing. Uh thank you very much and have a good year. Thank you. Um, I'll do my best to get through these. Um, we've talked about becoming a certified government for
three years. Um, I'd be happy to have about it. Um, but it's something that's been talked about for three years and it's uh something very pleased and and proud of the work that we've done to to do that. It in short, it it allows us to
uh to to access a specific um federally um federal funding for uh grant pool for historic preservation of significant buildings for creating preservation plans etc. So um the the accompanying
ordinances were amended earlier last year sometime last year I don't remember when um and we fulfilled all the requirements as of tonight to last resolution which is just a little bit of housekeeping uh is uh is approved. So this is also because of the flood damage
prevention right it gives us a way of um measuring >> right >> right so it was need necessary to close the gap with that >> I'll speak >> why don't you handle that if you or the council
>> president or this is about the yes >> why why we chose and what >> sure um so I don't think anyone would find fault with our undertaking to improve the um audio quality in this uh
group and for people on the on the phone online uh so a group of us uh Cindy Lindsay Councilman Stegman And that was it, right? Okay. Didn't want to leave anyone out. Uh there were bid was put
out and we got four responses. Two of which were viable. The other two were um way outside of our budget. And um we looked at uh two companies, CSAV and Cost. Uh we we both were very good.
>> They were here and they presented >> they they came here, they presented. Thank you. and um we had the opportunity to ask questions and engage with them. Um we all found both organizations to be very um made good presentations, very
intelligent and understandable presentations that would have helped us out. Um it it kind of came down to uh how much technology do is is really needed. Okay. So, uh, Kask Key gave us
CSAB was a completely digital um wireless type of implementation. Uh, lots of integration, you know, with different um, >> never mind. Go ahead. lots of integration with uh various components
in the room and you know would have required um I think a fair amount of of um technical savvy not just on the staff um not that they don't have
that but um a lot of people use this room for different purposes and a lot of things get messed up. Okay, so we've had this occur with us repeatedly. But also the concern was with the public and how
easily some people might not well how easily people from public especially were coming in remotely would be able to integrate and participate in the meetings. And for that reason we chose KSKI. They gave us a a really nice
solution that has some wireless but kind of a combination of wireless and what I'll call legacy like hardwired stuff but it makes sense. it was within our budget and it also comes with um
they they um helped us understand that there is a uh kind of an open-source uh um solution where people can um those with hearing impairments can scan a QR
code and have access to a device that they you know is a device I can't remember it'll integrate with their um >> with their period. Yeah. With their phone so that they can get supported um you know they can have a an 88 more ADA
compliant experience with regard to uh the audio part of it. But if they don't have that, let's say like my mom, 94, she doesn't have an iPhone, you still have a flip phone, we still can accommodate you and give you the old hearing aids that you that you would
lift over your ears and you'd still be able to hear and participate. So, it gives us the best of both world. >> Yeah, it gives us a lot of flexibility with regards to people and what levels of technology they have. Councilman, did you want to weigh in? No, that that's
pretty much um what the discussion centered on and um then we all met together briefly before and after talking about the presentation and we were all comfortable with the
presentation that was made by both companies. But this this company uh seemed to be uh more knowledgeable at for and not in a bad
way, but work around certain technical uh uh and electronic information that we don't currently have. and we're concerned about relying heavily on that
type of system should it fail or should there be a problem uh the uh with service and replacement. So, uh, and it was it was also the the
ADA, uh, both both companies were ADA, uh, savvy because they didn't want to sell, >> but for this room in this purpose and the, uh, the way that they were approaching the
entire sound system was more comprehensive and we all felt more comfortable with and easy to operate. Uh and uh and we're we're also going to be working with the planning and all the
boards that meet here will have access to it. Uh and uh you know profit training and uh so those who come here for planning or zoning boards or historic preservation
should there be a lot a large crowd. Currently there's no microphones or any amplification being used. So this allows us the flexibility to then bring in the the other boards and commissions that
could make great use of this facility and be able to see and hear which is two things that I would be really grateful if we could do in this room. So, you know, as every, you know, I've spoken out about
>> the amount of time that this has taken to get this far. Um, but there are a lot of moving parts and the the RFP that went out was very succinct and well handled and the reports the proposals
that came in responded to our uh our RFP and um we made a lot of progress and you know and we're going to work diligently to make sure that uh that what we're
doing is going to be successful. And we had that conversation with the ladder, the one that we chose. And we gave a lot of well can we do this or can we do that if this doesn't you know and just about the flexibility that they actually had
because the system that they're putting is is a system that they have done in in many other areas. So uh so I'm fairly comfortable with the choices we made. Uh
and uh they were very diligent in in uh whether the the acoustics of this room, which we know are not great to begin with, needed to be tweaked. And the
decision that they came up with is they're they were confident at the scope of what they were doing that the acoustics in this room would not be a concern after they're done and I will hold up to that.
But yeah, so that's basically the uh >> okay >> the takeaways from that. I thank you. Um, moving on, a question about the reaction of the employees to the possible departure from the state health
benefit plan into a HIF. Um, you know, I've spoken to a number of employees and retirees. So, a little bit of background information on that. So, we've been working on we were working through discussion and finance team about potentially moving out of the state health benefit plan for four, five, six
months and we did it back in 2023 as well. So, um it's been a it's been a long um detail oriented process. On December 23rd and December 30th, I sent letters to all of the employees who are on the plan and the retired lease
respectively with a comprehensive amount of information both about the the challenges state health benefit plan is facing with increases of 36 and a half% this year, 40% next year, 50 and then 60% in the following year projected increases. We also sent to each
individual employee um a spreadsheet of what the the three options would be in terms of their individualized plan. So if so and so is on the family plan, what the cost would be if we stay in the state system in 2026 versus the cost for
the same plan if we move to the Connor strong or we move to the nearest solution. So all the employees have really an enormous amount of individualized um information. We held a meeting for all employees and retirees who were interested in coming on January
8th. The um uh the broker, the consultant um oversaw that meeting was there, the council president was there, uh the budget consultant was there. Um we went through basically all of the information and then we answered questions. Um, since that meeting, I
have met with several retirees in person, um, for follow-up questions, uh, and several on the telephone and through email. We've been able to answer every single question that everybody's had. Um, I've talked to some. I've done a little bit of targeted outreach, further
targeted outreach to employees, but, uh, you know, in terms of not all opinions were shared with me. One or two opinions were shared that that suggested that we shouldn't make the move. Um I I will just note that what's being proposed tonight would
move us to the new the central New Jersey if um in which the retirees would keep their same carrier Etna in which the employees would switch carriers from >> Horizon
Horizon. Yeah. Um, so there's been a lot of information, there's been a lot of outreach, there's been conversations, and I feel pretty pretty good about where we are in terms of uh what we've done with with respect to the employees and uh um and retirees budgetary impact.
You know, I can't go into too much detail about that. At the last meeting, I did note that um you know, our difference in our bill that came in from the state for the state for the city's portion of the state health benefit plan um rose $20,000 from December to January
for employees and $10,000 for retirees. So that represents the 36.5%. If we move forward with going to the the constant um you know that's that's a 27% increase this year. So it's a lower
increase. I don't have the exact number of what that would be for the city but it certainly is going to be a significant cost savings and uh based on the information that we have you know that this HIF has has a very strong financial footing um and their rate
increases have been very gradual over the last few years. So we feel very confident that you know at least in the short term um that uh their rates are going to be better than what the state is offering and we have no idea about what the state what the plan is with the state health benefit plan. Right. So
council member more information on that. I just I just want to add just two two things on on this is that I do feel um that in terms of of quantifying the cost
like the cost savings that I that I really am interested in in seeing at the end of the year what it actually is because this is a really it's a important move for us. You know, we think it's going to save us some money. there huge problems with the state
health benefits program where we see the the you know that that we're going to have con constant increases going bigger but I'd like to keep an eye on the cost of implementation and some of the money that we we spend
in doing this um just to make you know to keep a check on on cost savings and so we can evaluate our particip you know our participation at the end of the therapist. This doesn't mean you have to be in it for forever. Um,
if there were ever, you know, look, in my personal philosophy, I think the state health benefits program is a great place for municipalities. This is a move because the costs are getting out of control. It's not being taken care of. Something happens with the new
administration and the state health benefits program improves, we can certainly take a look at it again. Um it you know it it's important um you know if the state health benefits program you know used to be the gold standard until
we've had these problems. Um the other service that I would like to offer because I know it is hard for employees to make the switch is maybe Sue and I can Sue Bakeorn who has worked a lot on this that we could be also kind of a
clearing house. I I like do a lot of case work on on PAS, but for folks if they do have problems in changing over, if they do have problems at Etna system that rather than have to rely on an 800 number that we know about it and and we
can get, you know, get try to move to get a faster response. You know, I know we don't have a dedicated HR person. It's not my goal in life, but I'd like to offer that up because it is a hard change. Some employees have spoken to me about making the change and concerns
about the children. I'd be happy to help them, you know, um so we could offer that so they're not off on their own or just dealing with the broker that we would have that extra help. >> As would I, you know, I've been very
clear with uh with the retirees and employees and several of them have called me. I've got a long list of messages from a couple of people. I follow up and I make sure because and it's been great. It's been great to get to know a couple people that I don't know. I'm deeply committed to this and
that's part of the reason why we'll talk about uh you know potentially an appointment uh appointing me as the commissioner to the um so that I can also be involved in you know and understand uh especially in the first year and be an advocate for not just the
city but for all of our employees and retirees. So, >> um, and you know, once we once we take this up in a few minutes, uh, you know, after the vote, we'll just kind of run through what the next steps are in
either scenario. So, um, we'll leave it there for that. Um, the extension of the KHP designation is just that. It's an extension of the of their traditional developer status. Very straightforward. We're required to do it by the board. Um, yep. Uh and then the two the two
ordinances we'll talk I'll talk a little bit about those when we get to them. Um basically they are both requirements of our housing element fair share plan. Um and so there might be slightly different they're different they're slightly different because uh
fair share wanted different things you know to make the numbers right we talk a little bit about that um when we get into that. So um um 33 Wilson Street. I guess my first question is what's the status of the
park? It's still closed. I mean I know it's winter now but spring will be here before we know it. Um, the other thing is tying to Khob where I think the town really starts needs to start looking at its infrastructure and the potential
impacts of that development. It's going to have the biggest impact this town has ever seen. And one is we need to look at our storm water system. I know we're studying it, but we're also going to need to figure out what we're going to do with all that water coming down the hill. Um, we also are going to need to look at what other impacts it's going to have to infrastructure and ingress and
egress up there and things that we shouldn't wait until we get to the planning board because then we're going to be running um behind and may not be able to get certain things in to things at that point that we really need to start working on that now and and and I think it's critical because you truck
ingress and egress up there and and how you know and the number of cars coming in hazard but also the runoff and also given the steep slopes the potential for mudslides and all kinds of other things is that the town itself really needs to start looking at its potential impacts and the only other thing I would mention
about kob that document that you sent the main purpose of keeping it closed is that you don't give your position to the other side they have it the public doesn't have it so I just wanted to make that that point uh the other point I want to want to hit on is that um
you've got a lot on your plate but there's certain things that we learned from last year that were problems in this community. And so I think we we need before you get into a whole master plan or everything else. There's some simple things we can do. We can limit where hotels go in the central business district so we don't put them in a
neighborhood with a lot of houses. Uh we can look at trying to upgrade some of our parking issues because we're we're getting inundated with parking. We're giving waiverss or how the systems counted. There's just not enough parking. It's getting worse. Uh, in fact, you should be also looking at the
south end of town where every backyard is now getting subdivided and, you know, up to 19 new houses with more coming and the parking down there is disappearing because every driveway has one car in the driveway and one car on the sidewalk. Um, and so I I really think that those are things we need to really
start looking at some of the ordinances that are that really are causing a problem. U, the other quick question and I don't want to get into the whole discussion about the system. So now the new system that you're buying will they be able to do zooms at like planning board meetings and things like that. So when we have important issues like
coming up that people can actually listen in because when they the planning board I think a lot of people are going to be wanting to follow that. Those are my points. Thank you. >> Uh update on parking talk about that a little bit later but I'm happy to do it
now. Um the city has to acquire a remedial action permit from DBP. Uh we had when we approve the doses tonight, we'll have a payment for that permit. As soon as that permit is issued, the um
LSRP can complete the RAO, response action outcome for the park. Um and then Bill and I met with the LSRP um a couple weeks ago and once once the response once the REO is submitted um the LSRP
really has kind of the authority to uh to to reopen the park. So we expect that I expect that the park should be open in March. Um, I'm not I'm not committing them back to to to the last word, but uh we're working on it and uh that is
that's my that's my best guess at the moment. Um, we just need to make sure that we get that REO in. Um and then um with respect to the audio system here and whether the planning board in particular for example
would u potentially consider using Zoom as a mechanism to to uh uh you know that's been discussed at the planning board level. It's not my decision uh and uh something that the planning board has decided not to do. Um, and I think that there was some conversation with the
attorney about it in terms of um, testifying and the comp the complexities of people trying to testify on Zoom with people in the room and the potential potential difficulty of um, uh, of not understanding or having, you know,
technical issues. So, I'm happy to address >> I just want to say that the main purpose is to watch. You cannot testify on Zoom. That's not allowed. But still it's still still a decision that was that's been made by the planning board. So you could possibly talk to Paul about that. It's
really his his decision. Anybody else in the room would like to issue a public >> Michael? No. >> Maybe there is Michael. >> Okay, that's fine. Um good. So I have a
motion to close public comment. >> All in favor say I. >> I's consent agenda includes resolutions number 30-2026 through 38-2026. As a reminder, these resolutions are
considered routine should be enacted on one motion. If any any city council would like separate discussion, please let me know and we'll move it and discuss it. >> Quick question. >> Yes. >> Uh in the it was very helpful Dave for
uh to ask your questions and for to have us and the mayor agreed to address them before we actually saw the uh the consent agenda. And I think you know that worked fairly well and it answers some of my questions too. So I there's
nothing that I would like to discuss further in this. I think it was a this happened the way it did. I thought it was a very good way to proceed with the uh consent agenda information like to >> Thank you, Mr. B.
>> Yes. And mayor would like to finish up by making a motion perhaps. >> Yes, I'll make a motion. >> Is there a second? >> Second. All those in favor of adopting the resolution on consent agenda numbers 30 through 38, please say I. I.
Now we're on to resolution number 392026. So I'm just going to read through this um one more time. So um we've been investigating alternate uh alternative options for healthcare for employees and retirees. We've worked with risk manager
and we've explored three separate health insurance funds. uh scholarship was not accepting any new applications. After careful review by the finance committee meeting with staff in retirees, we presented the following resolutions determining all participation in the state health benefits plan and join the
central Jersey regional employee benefit fund appointing the mayor to serve as the commissioner for the fund. Michael Doug to serve as the alternative commissioner. Council have any questions or comments on uh on missions? Just take time. The
only thing I I would just like to add is uh you know for a very long time I was in the state system and when I retired I from the state didn't have choice to be on any insurance because of what I came in and
the task of going through the many plans and the many companies and the coverage and the costs was um not easy to do. And the part the part of this that we all had spoken about was
we have to make sure that the employees know and have opportunities to know what the differences in the different plans would be and the cost associated with them. And it that that exercise I think
was very helpful not only for us to know that the conversations was taking place but also for the employees to be able to see in in the document changes, additions or subtractions
u that were taking place. So uh the process that we took I think was is to get this far was very successful and I appreciate all the employees who I respect uh very much uh and how this change
would influence the health benefits to themselves and their families. So the the the the weighted transition had been made to this point and that we're doing a resolution on I I think that was was
was very successful and I just hope that uh people and now with councilwoman Kaminsky and the mayor as also being involved with the implementation of this for all the employees um I I think this
will go easier than uh than uh you know someone a novice which was me going through the process to get health insurance for myself and my family. So, I'm all the all the work that was done.
I I'm I'm really happy that uh people uh were heard, had concerns, and brought us to what right now seems to be the best option that we have as a municipality to make sure our employees who work hard
for us on a daily basis got the can get the best coverage that's affordable and available. So, everyone who worked on this, thank you all. And I know Sue in the back uh spent a lot of time and was
the point person for a lot of this. So, I don't know how much the mayor is involved in all the council. So, you know, thanks for getting us all this far to have this resolution in front of us. Thank you. >> Well, you're welcome. And really, thank
you to Sue Bacorn HR. Now you're just gonna have to sit there and take a little bit of >> You got You have to There's a button over here. I'll shoot you right out of the chair. Don't worry. >> Yeah. Creating spreadsheets and going through individual plans and projections and creating analysises for each
individual employee is, as my son would say, a butt ton of work. Um and uh Sue did it all very graciously and and dealed many calls. We don't have an HR department, but Sue is really the HR maven, queen, goddess, whatever you want to call her. So, thank you so much for
all of that. Um, and it was and I'm glad we slowed the process down. It was a good call and uh and I'm pleased that we did that. It's given me the opportunity to understand more not just about kind of the issues that we face as as a municipality, but about the people who
were involved behind those behind those issues. Right. you know. So, um, >> yeah, I I just like to say that, well, I said what I had to say before, but I just want to reiterate, you know, thank you, Steve. I I I agree with you. We have terrific employees and public
service deserve, you know, uh, you know, uh, benefits and and salary that, you know, that that make it the sacrifice worthwhile. And, um, I'm fully committed to watching this. It kind of pains me to
do this. Um because I, you know, I'm I'm really hopeful that the state health benefits program becomes a a healthier system again that we can participate in because it really is, as Steve referenced, kind of the gold standard
that I think um I I know I was the beneficiary of it for many years that you're very comfortable with. Um, I, you know, really want to thank the employees for taking the leap with us and I'm really glad that we went through this
work with them because, you know, our employees, we have a great workforce and and we, you know, you really have to, you know, talk and and and be upfront about where you're going before you try to put the car in the garage. And and we
did that and I'm really proud that we did that. Um, and that being said, I want to keep being in the car with them um for implementation and also keeping track of of of the savings and how this
goes um even, you know, monthto month in terms of and and where we go with even, you know, benefits increase um and and and see where we're going. And I think like reports to us as a council would be really helpful, you know, along the
line. Not that I'm not making hard for you, Sue, but but you know, just because, you know, I it's like when we're up here, you know, we're part of a living, breathing city that like there's ears that go every day. And I find the more I learn about it, like the more
questions I have, but you know, I can be do better service. So that's what I'm interested in. I like to think things through and um you know sometimes I'm annoying I talk too much but um but I'm you know hopefully this will be savings
and will not be painful. >> Um I'll just add here at the end I had a lot of concerns about this going in but I think when we look at everything I think this is one where it really does benefit the city and also the city employees. Um I'm very fortunate you know my wife works for the state. I have these great state benefits, health
benefits. She could go work in private, uh, you know, and make a lot more money. But the benefits is one of the reasons why she took that job. And I know we have many employees that have the same philosophy. And so I was very concerned about this, but I really appreciate Michael Jul. He actually set up a meeting with us with the plan
administrator so we can confirm that the employees are going to get same or similar coverage. Um, so I'm satisfied. That was my concern that they would not be getting the same level. Uh but you know, we spoke directly to the plan administrator uh who promised that will happen. Uh and I appreciate all the
outreach that the mayor and you know, everyone did to make sure the employees understood what was going on. That was another very important thing for the council. We wanted to make sure they knew about this and it just wasn't a surprise. And so slowing it down, taking us and doing that, I thought was uh the
right thing to do and helped us come to this bridge. So, thank you. Right. Um, so unless there's any further comment, I've asked for a motion to adopt resolution number 39-2026, which is determining all participation
in the state health benefits plan inclusive prescription drug. >> I'll second it. In >> favor, >> I unanous motion pass. Next would be resolution number 40. resolution to join
the central Jersey return benefit fund. Um I will make motion to adopt this. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor please say I >> motion carries unanimously and resolution number 41-2026.
This is a resolution to commissioners to serve on the San Jersey health insurance fund myself as the commissioner commission. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor, please say I. I motion.
>> Um, just a couple of notes about that. So, you know, I think as a fund commissioner, I'm not sure what that role entails just yet. Uh, regular meetings though, and certainly I'll be h happy to report back from those meetings at in council meeting immediately after to let you know kind of what I'm learning and what's what's going on in
the fund and how the how things are going. Um, just a couple of administrative notes here. So, uh, the next steps are, uh, that well, we just adopted the resolutions. We've appointed the commissioner, so we've got to sub submit some paperwork probably tomorrow.
It's an indemnity and trust agreement and certified signed copies of the resolutions. Um, we have to send a terminate notice of termination to the state. We will schedule an imple implementation meeting between city officials and ciz by the first week of
February. implementation calls with um benefit operations for the H. Um there's a new client profile form and then there'll be probably several meetings with employees and retirees and I will make myself again and again available to employees
you know we've already answered questions for retirey living upstate New York who's you know have a lot of different things going on anyway so um we will be following up we'll hear more about the process as it unfolds and thanks to Cindy for ultimately all of
this work where it needs to go in a Next resolution is 42-2026. It's a resolution of the city of Landfield County in the state of New Jersey. Conditionally designated KM Homes LLC as the redeveloper property
identified high school redevelopment area. Block 1073 lots 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 32 33 and 33.01. from block 1091 lots 1 and 1.0 Z for
service of the local development housing NJS 4A 121 so as we said earlier this is uh to renew our developer I'm sorry status questions
motion >> second all those in favor adopting resolution 42-2026 meeting as condition say I >> motion carries
bills list everybody bills okay I'll make a motion to approve the bills list please >> all in favor please say I >> I thank you first reading ordinances the first ordinance of this ordinance number
one- 20226 an ordinance of the city ofville county state New Jersey to amend the zoning ordinance article I2 zoning districts and zoning map and article I5 against zoning to establish the IO3
inclusionary overlay zone 3 of block 106 plus 35 36 37 38 and 40. So um this is a ordinance which will um limit zoning for the spokes work site to allow for
inclusionary redevelopment at some point in the future with a minimum of eight affordable units. Um this is an element of our uh amended housing element and fair share plan. So it will be required for the city to adopt this. Um, this
upon introduction tonight will go to the planning board on February 4th for consistency review. Um, also I'll note that the the housing element fair share plan also goes to the planning board um for adoption and that will be adopted or
considered first. Uh and then these two ordinances uh assuming they will be introduced uh will be then considered for consistency review at which time they will come back to the council for public hearing. The public hearing for the housing element fair share plans at
the planning board. The housing and the public hearings for these two ordinances will be next month here on February >> 19. But also u the governing body will have to endorse the housing plan element and the fair share plan right >> planning board adopts governing body
endorses >> right yes thanks for that um so everybody will introduce >> okay so all in favor of introducing
ordinance number 01-2026 for the public hearing and second meeting on February 19th. Similarly, ordinance number two-26 an ordinance of the city of Lambertville County, state of New Jersey to amend the
zoning ordinance article to establish the 4 inclusionary posing overlay zone for block 104. This is CS complies as I just said
questions. I'm happy that this site is finally considered. I know in in the past there was push back from others who were involved with this
property that didn't uh want to didn't want to be subject to this, but it's a great site. It's a gateway into the city. Um, it does not impact
grid streets, grid grid that our grid as much as others might. And I'm I'm uh glad that this site is finally being considered for uh for this overlay. uh work for the ordinance rather than set
up this area as a as a vital site. It's been a long time and I'll make a mot I'll make a second. All those in favor of introducing our first ordinance 02-2026
with a public hearing and secondary please say I. No ordinances for second meeting that I know of. Just a couple of notes about ongoing projects. We talked about Kelli Park. I just wanted to thank uh
not this wonderful matters today Marian Lor for another successful grant application $4,000 um for uh further work in park for pollinator garden and um uh more plants
particular grasses along the red herring buffer. So $4,000 for that to immediate use. Thank you Mary. Um also note that um the um talked a little bit about this may not be familiar to everybody but um
city was awarded a FEMA 406 mitigation grant for floodgates here at the justice center. Um it's been a couple of years since we started this and it's just taken a long time um for a variety of reasons. We already bonded for it and um
we're ready to go out to bid. So um the project will go out to bid next Thursday. We had been opening on March 5th and probably by the March 19th meeting we can take action to award hopefully award a contract for gates. Um this is a 6040%
grant match. So we'll the city will pay 40% will pay the other 60%. Um so that's a great project. I'm looking forward to having that underway. >> And good question. >> Yes. Uh when that do we have information yet when that starts to get underway if
there's limited access to this building for any of our city meetings any of our planning board zoning board? >> Yeah, we haven't talked about that. Um but we will >> okay >> we may get back to our city for a month
or so. I don't know. Yeah, we'll make sure that >> and the court too. Although we'll we'll get we'll get a handle on their schedule once we get through the process. >> Yeah. And and I will just say that it's possible that we're going to need an
extension on this grant. Um you know that the the specific equipment that's included for the products are coming from I think Norway. Um and as we know there have been some holds up tariffs and things like that. So you know we may
we may have we may have some delays. orc. >> Uh my state of the city speech, which is usually the second meeting in January, is going to be February 5th. Um so stay tuned for that. Um dog and cat licenses are due related on February 27th to avoid a late fee. Uh landlord and
short-term rental applications are now due. and you can talk to Lindsay or look on the city website for applications. The um motor vehicles mobile unit will be back in Lambertville for real IDs and driver's license in
midFebruary. The van will be here at the justice center from 9 to 3:30 on Tuesday, February 17th through Friday, February 20th. Um there's an appointment window and all this will be in Lambertville Matters. We'll post it on the website um which will open up on January 26 at 11 o'clock. And thank you
to for of facilitating this um this popular return >> and and a shout out we have to say give thanks to the motor vehicle commissions and and Chris Kman I put in the record for bringing keep bringing it keep
bringing us back for us right big fan of Lambertel NBC and they bless us with the mobile unit which help me get my >> thanks Thanks. >> Yeah. Right. Tell your neighbors that Yeah.
>> the window's short. Sign up if you need something. >> It's very it it it's very simply done. >> Yeah. >> And um happy that they could come back to serve >> the residents of our city. So, thank you
NBC. >> And just lastly, uh you know, I made a note in my matters about sidewalks. Um we started delivering letters today to people who are property owners who have not cleared sidewalks. Um it's not something we wanted to do and u but we
had to do it and it's been a real problem this last snowstorm. A lot of it melted today but um a lot of residents got letters uh from your truly today and uh we have to follow up with that. I I've had some very treacherous walks to
work this week. Um and uh >> um mayor, yeah, up on Cottage Hill there's been um I I probably should have called and alert the clerk, but there's been um when we had the ice like on uh
Swan Street. Okay. And then on Stutterford around the corner of Little Haven there. >> Okay. No, no clearing at all >> on the sidewalk. >> On the sidewalk. No query.
>> Okay, good to know. Um, and we are preparing. We had a meeting today to talk about the potential for a serious storm this weekend. So, we put some plans in place. There'll be some communication coming from the city tomorrow. We'll make sure that uh power goes out that there's warming stations.
Um, the plaza coordinated with uh Department of Public Works. They're going to be in touch with me every two to three hours regardless of the time. Um, I didn't put my or if anybody has any issues at all, uh you can call myself day or night. Um I'll be I'm
always the person who knows probably Brown, Cindy and I probably will will have the most information in here. So welcome Pauls so I can always answer questions. >> I think this is going to be the most if it's as bad as the European model is,
it'll I thought the last snow was a lot that we've had in the past. If this one is anything like they say it may be there's I remember that when that happened several year like maybe it's a decade
ago when we had there was quite a big job. Yeah. Right. Senator Brown place to put the snow >> to move cars to make sure people were safe to be able to get the trucks in the
front loaders, back loaders, trucks. It was it was uh an incredible >> which ballet that the city was, for lack of a better term, to get the job done. And I know we can do it because we've done it before. I just hope it doesn't
snow as much as they say it will. But shop, get everything you need. Stores are crowded uh around around here. And it's not just around here. It's around over the bridge. It's about towards Flemington. People are stocking up and
for the long haul. So if you have you need a quart of milk, I would say you better get two quarts. >> I'll make it alive. I'm all, >> you know, and and it's not to digress, but but I will digress. I will digress
and I'll say that >> the employees of this city in in that emergency stepped forward and worked to get the job done. And I know that in instances
like this, it's a coordinated effort between our our OEM and emergency management here. It's a coordinated and in some cases with the county and it's with administration and public works and the mayor's office to and any other
council members that get called on it to lend a hand to see that happen and get organized and done it. You know, it just shows the the the the fortitude and the
commitment that people that live here and work here have in situations like that. So, I know this, >> right? >> All right. Well, and one more point, personal privilege since it's the night for the one reason why I had asked too
that we remember Governor Cody who passed away and and will be laid to rest this weekend. is a big supporter of Lambertville. Gave us one of our biggest uh commitments in in the state budget one year, $120,000 because he loved Lambertville. Helped us
with flooding. Always supported the Lambertville Basketball Association. He was a basketball coach, but he always always helped out whenever I asked him for something. He always came came through. So, he loved Lambertville, lived a good life of public service. has
been the legislature and for over 50 years. Um, good man. >> Good run. >> It was good run. >> I'm proud to work with >> Yes. We will now open this up to our second public participation.
Question. 255 runs cab I haven't moved. All right. But I I wanted to come up uh to start my second list. So please stand by. Now um just I I thought I I thought tonight's meeting and and how mayor and other
council members the city clerk jumped in on things. I thought it was very very good. It was able to, you know, as we sit to listen. All right. We learned about it and just congratulations. Well done.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Means a lot. I have a motion to close public comment period. >> Second favor. >> I come by before we go. >> Get some milk.
>> We have first. I'll second it. All in favor, please say I. I. >> Thank you very much for coming. >> Time to get the milk. >> Time to get the milk. 24 left. >> Where the red one? Let me send you